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Out of office message

2012-01-07T03:54:00.000-08:00

I shouldn't be blogging or on the computer at all; after all, I'm on staycation.

Staycationing is becoming more and more popular for many people because of the economic crises in the US and in Europe.

Contrary to what many people think, staycationers can actually have a lot of fun without leaving the comfort of their home or their hometown.

Any ideas?

Absolutely shocking - Sooner or later

2011-12-26T10:57:00.001-08:00

2K11 or 2011, was a busy year.

Just when you think you have heard it all,

Seen it all,

The world continues to surprise us,

For Good and for Bad.

What was the most shocking event of 2011?

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To Angela

2011-12-22T04:56:00.001-08:00

This may not be a perfect time to talk about losing a person. But the fact is that we lose people who have left positive marks on our lives.

The most interesting thing is when students become friends, and friends become colleagues, and when colleagues become peers.

Angela was my student and soon became my chief collaborator on this blog.

May she rest in peace.

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A meal to die for

2011-12-10T12:03:00.001-08:00

This could be your last meal. How unhealthy can you get?

Marketing ploy or Assisted suicide?

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Healthy is easy

2011-12-04T15:50:00.000-08:00

Modern society is too obsessed with being healthy. Would you agree?

What does it mean to be a healthy person?

In general, a healthy person doesn't smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises.

How many people would really fall into this category? Would you?

But there is light at the end of the tunnel for all of us.

According to specialists on the benefits of exercise in health and diseases, creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean drastic changes.

We are used to being sedentary and think that exercise has to be something intense for it to be effective

When we hear the word sedentary, what do we usually think of?

But sedentary simply means something that requires sitting or little activity. And today’s world, most of us spend part of our day sitting in front of a computer, netbook, or tablet, or just working at a desk.

Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.

Here is a list of eleven benefits physical activity provides. Use the verbs below to complete the list. Some of the verbs are used more than once

Reduce (x3) Improve (x3) Increase Help

Maintain Prevent Reduce (x2) Enhance

...... the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
...... joint stability
...... and improve range of movement
...... maintain flexibility as you age
...... bone mass
...... osteoporosis and fractures
...... mood
...... symptoms of anxiety and depression
...... self esteem
...... memory in elderly people
...... stress

What else can we do to live healthily? Ideas accepted here.

Post based on article "Healthy lifestyle"

Give thanks

2011-11-24T02:36:00.001-08:00

What's worse than showing ingratitude? Being grateful for the wrong things.

As Thanksgiving is being celebrated in the US, here is a message that we should never forget:

How Making a Gratitude List Can Change Your Life | Family Dynamics | LV Moms | LearnVest - Where life gets richer

Lists are a fundamental part of our lives - friends lists, resolutions lists, to-do lists, achievements lists, lists of bills, credit lists, vocabulary lists ...

So how can a gratitude list help us in our daily lives?

If you had to draw up a gratitude list, who would be on it?

Are you the kind of person that loves making lists? What are your favorites?

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Are you aware?

2011-11-20T16:50:00.001-08:00

“Discrimination is Prejudice in practice” .We can combat it but by means of Laws but the prejudice itself is a matter of ideology, creeds and beliefs.

Only by means of a multicultural transformative education we can change people`s minds.

How much do you know about Black Awareness in Brazil? ( extracted from Wikipedia)

The Day of Black Awareness is celebrated annually on November 20 inBrazil as a day on which to reflect upon the injustices of slavery (from the first transport of African slaves to Brazil in 1594) and to celebrate the contributions to society and to the nation by Brazilian citizens of Africandescent. It takes place during the Week of Black Awareness.

The day is marked on the anniversary of the death of Zumbi dos Palmares(1655-1695), the last leader of the Quilombo dos Palmares.

How important is a day like this in the world we live in today?

What does being a race or having a skin color means to you and to people in your country?

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What should be the 2011 Word of the Year? We have a few ideas | The Hot Word | Hot & Trending Words Daily Blog at Dictionary.com

2011-11-07T05:17:00.000-08:00

What should be the 2011 Word of the Year? We have a few ideas The Hot Word Hot & Trending Words Daily Blog at Dictionary.com

Is there one word that can sum up the major events of this year?

What word can describe how we relate to each otherin today's modern technological world?

What word(s) has/have been overused this year?

What word(s) have you learned or have started using this year?

Why do we remember the dead?

2011-11-02T05:47:00.001-07:00

Today is known as the Day of the Dead in many like Brazil and Mexico. Each country celebrates the day in its own way but we can learn some valuable lessons:

#honor those who have left us;

#revere our ancestors;

#appease the dead by leaving their favorite food or items on the tomb

#see death as part of the life cycle

#contemplate our own mortality

How do you remember your loved ones who have passed away?

How do people remember the dead in other countries?

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Don't have a fear/a phobia!

2011-10-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

Which of the definitions below refers to 1) fear and 2) phobia?

a. a strong or irrational feeling about something

b. an unpleasant feeling you have when you think you're in danger

Which of the two words:

- Can be a verb and a noun?

- We use with “suffer from” e.g. I suffer from a ….?

- Is both a countable and uncountable noun?

Complete the following famous quotes with either fear or phobia. In the quotes with more than one blank space, use the same word.

Most intellectuals today have a ……………. of any explanation of the mind that invokes genetics. Steven Pinker
Courage is resistance to …………., mastery of ………, not absence of ………….. Mark Twain
Do the thing you …………. most and the death of ………….. is certain. Mark Twain
I have had a lifelong ………… of snakes. Jessica Savitch
In time we hate the thing we often ………….. William Shakespeare
Discrimination against homosexuals is just that: a ……….. George Weinberg
The …….. of death is the most unjustified of all because there's no risk of accident for someone who's dead. Albert Einstein
I have this …………: I don't like mirrors. Pamela Anderson
…….. has its use but cowardice has none. Mohandas Gandhi
I would gladly do it but I am suffering from social ……….. I can’t stand being in front of a crowd of people. Elfriede Jelinek

To see the original quotes and check your answers, click here.

Fear is a natural emotion; sometimes, people say it is fundamental to remind us of our limitations as humans and of the need to respect our limits.

What can we say about phobias? There are so many of them that it would seem that they are as natural as fear.

What makes you:

Afraid?

Scared?

Terrified?

Petrified?

Panicky?

How do you deal with your fears?

Do you think any of your fears may have developed into a phobia?

Do you know anyone who suffers from a phobia?

What advice would you give to someone who suffers from a phobia?

Questions we never ask

2011-10-13T06:52:00.001-07:00

We only learn new information by asking questions.

BUT nobody likes an inquisitve person

Think of all of the great thinkers, visionaries, leaders, movers, innovators, and builders of our time. Where would humanity be today if they had not asked themselves questions?

Think of social media and sites like Formspring. Why are they so popular?

People say we accept the reality of the world with which we are presented. Sometimes asking questions can mean we don't accept a given situation.

When do you prefer not to ask questions?

In which situations are questions unwanted?

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Childhood dreams

2011-10-02T14:09:00.001-07:00

When you were a child:

Did you have a secret hiding place?
Did you use to dream a lot about the future?
Did you have a special place you shared with your brothers and sisters?

Give an example of
# a childhood dream.
# a person or place that is your pride and joy.
# a great escape.
# a secret hiding place.

Here are some common motivational expressions people say. Can you give the missing words?

1. Don't look . . . .
2. Keep your . . . . held high
3. Live and . . . .
4. Don't hold . . . . to the past

Now watch the video and read the lyrics (Watch out for the missing words!)

Lyrics | Madonna lyrics - This Used To Be My Playground lyrics

Now TELL US:

ARE THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE FOR FREE?

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The ability to never give up

2011-09-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

Just in!

"Never give up" is probably one of the most beaten clichés we hear all the time. "Impossible is nothing", "Just do it", "You can do whatever you put your mind to" are just some that immediately come to mind.

But the story of Nick Vuijicic probably brings back meaning into the expression.

Most of the times people become role models because of what they have done, an external quality they possess (beauty or physical vigor) or how intelligent they are. Nick's simple existence - and the fact that he leads a normal life like all of us - is enough to make a him a model.

After watching a video this powerful, you can't help but think that there is nothing the human being is not able to do.

But tell us,

What special things are you able to do?
Is there something you have always wanted to be able to do but never had the chance?
What will you be able to do in the next five, ten, fifteen years?

How much is your story worth? (The song for the between-jobbers)

2011-09-18T20:17:00.001-07:00

This could very well be the theme song of the U.S. economy and many other European countries in financial crisis.

Have you ever been in a situation like the one presented in the song? Do you know anyone who has?

What advice could somebody give to a person who finds himself/herself out of work?

How much would you pay to hear YOUR STORY?

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To see the original video, click here.

Reflexive pronouns - by themselves

2011-09-11T16:51:00.000-07:00

Reflexive pronouns are used much less often in English than in other languages. To form them, you just have to use a possessive pronoun or an object pronoun and “self/selves”.

My + self = myself

Your + self = yourself

Him + self = himself

Her + self = herself

It + self = itself

Our + selves = ourselves

Your + selves = yourselves

Them + selves = themselves

When do we use them? Match the use with one of the sentences

(1) With reflexive verbs

(2) After a preposition

(3) To emphasize something

(a) We enjoyed ourselves this summer

(b) I don’t need any help; I’m going to finish it myself

In other languages there are more reflexive verbs than there are in English. This means that many speakers use reflexive pronouns in English based on their own language:

1. I get myself up, shower myself, shave myself and have breakfast before I leave for work.(*incorrect form)

I get up, shower, shave and have breakfast before I leave for work.

2. She gets herself upset when she isn’t able to do what she wants.(*incorrect form)

She gets upset when she isn’t able to do what she wants.

Complete the mini-quiz with a reflexive pronoun then answer the questions.

Can you name two things you would buy for ................. if you had the money?

Can you think of three professionals who can hurt ........... while doing their jobs?

Can you name an animal that cleans ..............?

Can you think of a professional who rehearses by .................? They can also practice with a group

Can you give two reasons why we shouldn’t wait for the government to solve social problems but try to do something ..................?

Now watch a Mr. Bean video and say if the sentences below are true or false.

He lives by himself

He has decorated the apartment by himself

He is going to celebrate NewYear’s Eve by himself.

The front door opens by itself.

The vinegar tastes good by itself.

His guests are enjoying themselves.

The time on the clock suddenly changes by itself.

What would you do or say if you were one of Mr. Bean’s guests?

What is something you like doing by yourself?

Where were you?

2011-09-10T13:08:00.001-07:00

The song is better than any questionnaire. It doesn't ask to just know: it asks to spark reflection to those who seek to do so.

The real question is:

Where are you now?

Where do you stand on these issues?

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Looking for a change?

2011-09-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

Do you ...

feel you're running the risk of losing your job?

count the days, months and years for your retirement?

want to work with what you really love and not have to worry about tomorrow?

feel like not going to work in the morning?

start missing deadlines, avoiding meetings or call in sick?

If you answer yes to most of the questions above, then you are part of an increasing number of people who face a

a dilemma between building a successful career and making a difference in this generation

Making a career move or change implies in at least 3 or 4 major factors. Complete the sentences with the words below.

lead - balanced - pleasure- whole - desire- survive - pain - affect

The ... of loss is twice as much as the ... of gain.
The need to ... is usually much stronger than the ... to ... a balanced life
Changing jobs not only will ... the decision-maker but also the ... family.

People who find it hard to make a career change suffer from what experts call LOSS AVERSION.

Have you ever decided to make a career change, despite fearing what you had to lose?

Making a successful career change requires some important considerations. The most important ones can be found here.

So, are you prepared to change your career and live new challenges?

Are you an underuser?

2011-08-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

Just in!

Most people would be able to identify the items above.

Can you compete a sentence for each item? Here is an example:

A desktop is used for editing and processing texts, watching movies, burning CDs and DVDs, downloading music, uploading photos, editing photos and videos, recording your voice, creating spreadsheets and slide presentations ... Anything else?

The short paragraph here illustrates the uncountable number functionalities each of these gadgets has, many of which we don’t know of or we have never even used.

An overwhelming majority of people today are underusers – people who have the latest technological devices but never even use them or have no idea how to use them fully.

Here is an intriguing example: recent studies have shown that most wifi networks are underutilized.

Here is another to prove the point: i-pads are being used in schools but most teachers, and subsquently students, have no idea how to really use them efficiently and their presence in the classroom has not improved or facilitated the learning process.

So, tell us:

How many of these gadgets do you have?

How do you use them?

Do you know what they can do (their functionalities)?

How essential are they to your life?

How have they changed the way you do things?

Why do most people have so many gadgets and always buy new ones?

How much are tech companies (who produce and sell these gadgets) responsible for this underuser phenomenon?

Was Amy Winehouse a sexist or chauvinist?

2011-08-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

In an ever-changing world, it seems useless to talk about gender roles.

But Amy Winehouse doesn't seem to think so.

Her song raises some questions that have been forgotten or given less importance:

What is the role of the man and the woman in the traditional different-sex relationship?
Are these roles still clearly defined?
Who is supposed to be the stronger sex in the relationship?
What do we mean when we say that the woman is the fairer sex?
Who is supposed to make the final decision or take the initiative in a relationship?
Who wears the pants/calls the shots in the family? (who is the boss?)
Who is usually responsible for what in a relationship - bills, shopping , housework etc.?

According to recent studies, though, more and more men openly admit that the woman is the one who has the last word or actively participate in all decisions related to family.

These men also admit that the woman chooses their clothes, programs their diet and takes care of the family expenses.

So is there anything left for the man?

Are woman better decision makers than men?

Mis-communication, mispronunciation

2011-08-09T14:35:00.001-07:00

Getting pronunciation mixed up can be the source of some good humor like in the video above.

But what about one of those days when you pronounce the wrong word the wrong way at the wrong time? You probably might have problems like this dialog below:

In what other situations is it possible to make mistakes like these on the phone?

Have you ever had to deal with mis-communication because of mispronunciation?

Pronunciation faux pas

2011-08-02T20:39:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest challenges for English learners when it comes to pronunciation is telling the difference between many vowel sounds.

After all, isn't leave pronounced the same as live? And isn't shut the same as chute?

Of course, consonants are also a headache for even the most confident language learner. Three and tree are spelled differently but they seem to have the same sound in spoken language.

Mispronouncing a sound can lead to embarrassing situations like those in "the Italian man who went to Malta". Some situations are certainly funny and can be minimized by context.

What's more, saying the word incorrectly could mean referring to a sexual or a physiological word.

Here are two classic examples:

Can you tell me the way to the /bɪtʃ/?

We need some clean /ʃɪt/ in room 406.

Here are some more words that can be mispronounced. The incorrect words are on the right:

Vowels

piece - piss

six - sex

fork - f***

folks - f***s

Consonants

third - turd

farther - farter

theses - feces

What do you think is the best way to avoid mispronouncing these words? Should learners pay attention to these details?

Things that make you feel good

2011-07-26T16:59:00.001-07:00

Most of us are not demanding when the subject is being happy or feeling good.

Eating outside.

Spending with people we like.

Waking up in the morning and knowing that you don't have to go to work or to school.

Being in the middle of nature.

Having time for ourselves.

Being able to read a book or magazine in another language.

Putting our house in order.

Doing something you thought you would never be able to do.

Being ourselves.

Can you think of any other things?

What makes you feel good about yourself?

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Words can motivate

2011-07-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

Are you generally a good-humored person?
What do you do when you generally feel down?
How often do you have a real good laugh?
Have you ever willingly made a complete fool of yourself?

The video below from Anger Management shows that having a sense of humor is a great way to boost your energy and improve your mood.

Can you complete the lines as you watch?

I feel ........., oh so ..............

I feel ................. and ....................... and .......................

And I pity any ........ who isn't me today

I feel .............................., oh so ............................

It's ..................................... how ........................... I feel

And so .................... that I can hardly believe I'm ..............

See that ................. girl in that mirror there.

What do you do to boost your energy and improve your mood?

One man's food is another man's aliment

2011-07-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

What's on the menu? Can you name the items in the image?

Eating healthily or having a balanced diet is considered provisional to a long and disease-free life. Habits are changing, governments are encouraging healthy meals and people are making an effort to get in line.

GM (genetically modified), transgenetic fat, natural or organic food are becoming words of the day.

Some people argue that this sudden interest in eating healthy food is just another commercial scam. But what are the benefits to healthy eating?

How easy and how cheap is it to maintain a balanced diet?

How easy is it to have three square meals every day?

(In)depend(ence)

2011-07-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

The United States celebrates yet another year of the Declaration of Independence. The importance of this event for the American people is notable and undeniable.

Why is that?

There are many reasons which can be answered by this song performed by Beyoncé Knowles:

But what does independence mean? What is it dependent on?

Freedom.

Freedom to organize your own life and make your own decisions

Freedom to control the destiny of your country

Freedom to not depend on anyone else

Freedom to acquire wealth based on hard work and on your own merit

What is independence in your view?

What does it give you freedom to do?

Pronunciation challenge - Silent letters (thanks to Angela Oliveira)

2011-06-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

If you read or speak any English, you must have already noticed that there are a lot of letters in words that we DON'T pronounce. These are called Silent letters. They are silent, not invisible, meaning you don't pronounce them but you have to write them.

So to help us with these letters, here is a list of them:

Silent letters from A to Z (actually from B to T)

Silent B: debt, comb, climb, plumber, doubt
Silent C :muscle, science, prescient
Silent D : handkerchief, sandwich, Wednesday
Silent E : hope, drive, site, mime, type, live (most words that end in "e")
Silent G: gnome, gnaw, champagne, foreign, paradigm, campaign, sign
Silent GH : though, daughter, weigh
Silent H : what, when, hour, honest, heir, vehicle
Silent K :knife, knot, knee, kneel, knock, knowledge
Silent L : calm, palm, colonel, half, salmon, talk, would, should
Silent N: autumn, hymn, solemn
Silent P :psychiatrist, pneumonia, psychotherapy, psychotic, raspberry, shepherd, cupboard
Silent S : island, isle, aisle
Silent T : castle, Christmas, fasten, listen, often (usually North American English), whistle

Well, as they say, nothing tried is nothing learned. So let's try some sentences to help us practice these letters. Click here.

Do you think you can read the sentences perfectly? Go to this page and record yourself saying the sentences there!

Which sentence(s) was/were the easiest?

Which was/were the most difficult?

A series on translation

2011-06-15T11:41:00.001-07:00

This video is to start a discussion on the eternal topic of translation.

What is the most difficult and most rewarding thing about translation?

A series on translation

2011-06-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

My experience as a translator

I have always had a passion for languages, and because of that I decided that when I finished my high school studies, I had to take a degree in that area. That led me to major in Foreign Languages (Portuguese and Spanish). I got an opportunity at work to try my hand at translating some slides for my boss and immediately caught taste for the profession.

I didn’t major in translation, but I really like it and since the translator has to love what he/she does, and has to like working with computers and spending hours on the internet, I identified with the trade from the start! The internet is full of information, forums and communities for translators.

The translator is a specialist in written and spoken texts, and everything you read and hear serves as material for their translations. The biggest challenge of translation is to be faithful to the original one without violating the target language, adapting the original to a readership that is not from the original, and that the author even knows, without modifying the original text nor losing their specificity or violating the target language.

So, do you prefer to read material that is translated or do you prefer to read the original?

Who is the boss?

2011-06-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

Supervisor. Overseer. Head. Foreman. Chief. Superintendent. Administrator. Master. Controller. Honcho. Cacique. Leader. Motivator.

Many synonyms for one word that provokes the most diverse reactions in employees:

BOSS

Now that we have said the word, we can ask ourselves the following questions:

How do we define a boss?

Is there such thing as an ideal boss?

What role should a boss play?

What are some typical profiles of a boss?

What is worth more in a boss - qualifications or experience?

What does it take to be your own boss?

Imagine you had to pretend that you were a boss for one day in a company you don't know.

Now look at the results of an interesting survey:

Tell us:

(If you are an employee)

What would you do differently if you were in the boss's shoes?

Would things look totally different on the other side of the table?

(If you are already a boss)

What would you change about your leadership style?

What models of leadership or management do you try to follow?

In reverse

2011-05-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

To get you started:

Which sentence do you believe in?

Happiness comes from within (from the inside)
Money will make you happy

What is more important than family?

What will you be celebrating ten years from now?

Has environmental destruction always been the norm in all societies?

What makes you believe that there is/there isn't hope in this world?

Compare your answers to what is said in the video. Watch the video in two parts:

Part 1 - from 0:00 - 0:53

Part 2 - from 0:54 - 1:45

Which part are your answers similar to?

This video leaves us with many questions:

Which generation is being referred to in the video?

Which generation is to blame for the destruction of the planet and its natural resources?

Are all generations lost?

What other lessons can we learn from the video?

What if?

2011-05-10T01:09:00.000-07:00

I know somebody has asked this question a thousand times but it doesn't hurt to think about it:

What if your life was different?

Would you be a different person?
Where would you live?
What high school would you study at?
What would your parents do?
How many brothers and sisters would you have?
What would your life be like?

I would like to hear your answers. If possible, tell us why.

I know, for example, that I would be the same person I am today because this is who I am.

What about you?

What's in a Hat?

2011-04-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Mad Hatters: 13 Ridiculous Royal Wedding Hats

The Royal Wedding was, more than a fairy-tale story, a virtual hat parade with some of the most exotic and ridiculous hats around.

Even the Mad Hatter would be in shock if he saw the hat display.

So why not use this festive occasion to learn some hat expressions?

1. Have you ever gone hat in hand to ask for donations for a charity or an NGO?

2. Do you find it easy to keep things under your hat or do you share secrets with people?

3. British people say “My hat!” to show surprise or shock at something. What do you say in the same situation?

4. When you play games like Secret Santa, do you pull names out of a hat or do you match people according to their personalities?

5. Who do you take your hat off to or tip your hat off to? What have they done to deserve your admiration or respect?

6. President Barack Obama has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2012 presidential elections. Do you think he has chance at being re-elected next year?

7. If your best friend asked you a favor, would you do it at the drop of a hat, without hesitation?

8. Do you pass the hat round when you have to buy something for your a friend who is getting married or is going to have a baby?

9. Are you able to pull a rabbit out of a hat, to produce a quick solution to a problem? Do you anyone who can?

10. Which is worse – talking through your hat or staying quiet when people are talking about a situation you are not familiar with?

Is there anything that got your attention during Prince William and Kate Middleton's big day?

Chernobyl goes silver

2011-04-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Twenty-five years later and nuclear energy is still considered to be a vital energy source.

Despite the Chernobyl disaster, people are still optimistic about this form of energy.

What, according to the video, is the real lesson of this tragedy?

The big question remains

Can nuclear power be used safely?

Easter lessons

2011-04-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

What do Easter eggs and the tomb of Jesus Christ have in common?

When most people hear the word Easter, they automatically think of chocolate eggs, family lunches and family get-togethers.

But the eggs symbolize the victory of life over death that is represented in the Resurrection story, the Passion Jesus Christ had to go through so that the rest of humanity would not have to experience that kind of suffering.

The Easter season can teach us some simple lessons:

1. Now is the time to break out of your shell.

2. Balance is the key to happiness.

3. Make each of your tasks a masterpiece.

4. Catch the joy that is in the air

5. Love any holiday that celebrates new life or a new birth - with or without chocolate

What lessons have you learned from Easter?

Easter messages

2011-04-17T10:32:00.001-07:00

It's Easter week! Time to do some chocolate shopping and prepare to celebrate the Holy Week.

The word cloud above shows some typical Easter messages and wishes for friends, loved ones and even strangers.

How do you wish your loved ones a happy Easter?

What's your favorite Easter message?

It's all about accents, baby!

2011-04-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Another great video talking about the difference between English accents - especially the two most common- British and American. American comedian Elon Gold takes a humoristic look at some peculiar things the Brits do when they speak.

Before you watch the video, answer Right or Wrong.

The Americans pronounce the "t" sound like a flap

The British always pronounce the "t" sound

The British sometimes replace the " t" sound with another sound

As you watch the video, answer these questions:

How would a Russian say this sentence?
This trafic is unbelievable

What letter do the Israelis insert in this sentence?
I want them to go to ...

How would a German say this sentence?
Weren't you the guy I saw this morning at the coffee house?

The last part of the video deals with an interesting aspect: the weird relationship each accent has with one letter.

With the Russians, it's the letter "y".

With the Isrealis, it's the letter "m".

With the Germans, its the letter "z".

What about other accents - (Brazilian) Portuguese, (South American) Spanish, French or Italian?

Why do the nationalities use a specific letter or sound the way they do when they speak English?

Is the Oxford English Dictionary too hip? OMG!

2011-04-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

WTH?

FYI, this video talks about new words that are now part of the Oxford English Dictionary.

How many ppl are familiar with these abbreviations or acronyms?

For instance, what exactly is WYSIWYG? - What You See Is What You Get

Have you ever gone shopping and seen a sign BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free)?

How can we learn the meaning of modern expressions like these? In a dictionary, right?

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

What do you think - should these words/expressions be placed in a dictionary? Chillax! [Chill and Relax] If things continue the way they do, this will be normal, not something new.

There is no price for advice

2011-04-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

To leave a message, you can go to the wall by clicking here.

Or, you can comment right here.

Are you open?

2011-04-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

This post I fully endorse.

Sometimes we have to stop and think about how we see things and about where we are standing.

Changing our sunglasses or the vantage point we have makes a helluva difference.

How can we talk about change when we are quick to criticize what we think is different?

How can we talk about innovation when we do things in the same old way? I won't say anymore.

Click on the question for more.

Are you open?

Maximizing your English

2011-04-05T13:39:00.000-07:00

When do we stop learning a language?

How can I keep my English from getting rusty?

TeaTime Video [No Subs] from Lingua Group on Vimeo.

Introducing a new website resource to help students keep their language afresh and be exposed to a wide range of English speaking sources and varieties.

This is a must in an ever global world where pronunciation and vocabulary are two areas of English that most suffer changes at an incredible pace.

This site seems like a good start, but I am sure there are endless possibilities and tools - online or offline - for anyone who wants to continue studying.

What's your favorite website for English input? How do you keep your English up to date?

You are what you attract

2011-03-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

"There can be mircales when you believe"

"I believe I can fly"

"You can do it put your back into it"

"Yes we can"

"Impossible is nothing"

"Ask and you shall receive"

These sentences from songs, biblical verses or speeches all defend the power of positive thinking. They answer one basic question:

What is success and how do we get it?

People who believe in positive thinking say it has to do with THE LAW OF ATTRACTION. Some of the most successful people entertainment like Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith believe in it.

But the law of attraction is not only for the rich and famous. Here is what a student has to say "I put my wish on the Internet. According to the Law of Attraction you may send it to the universe and what you plan for will happen." On December 25th, 2010, she made this wish list:

I wish I were more patient especially in the traffic.

I wish I had time to meet my friends.

I wish I could attend a seminar or conference about Multiculturalism abroad and write more about the subject.

I wish I could join the Weight Watchers.

Result: She has more time for herself, she is about to go to Sofia, Bulgaria to talk about Multiculturalism and she just joined Weight Watchers. Three out of five: not bad, right? Writer Rhonda Bryne also takes a close look at how The Law of Attraction works:

Can and do wishes come true?

Have you ever got something you wanted because of positive thinking?

What are the ingredients of success?

More exports, more jobs

2011-03-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

US President Barack Obama is winding up his visit to Brazil, but the video above shows President Obama's plans and the reasons for his visit.

Brazilian news channels, economic and political insitutions have high expectations for this visit. They expect more access to US markets by means of fewer tariffs.

But what is Obama's goal in one word?

JOBS

Jobs for the American people. How?

EXPORTS

In his own words, "the more we sell overseas, the more jobs we create on our shores".

How does this benefit Brazil? Can you complete the sentence - the more Brazil imports, ...

The story in numbers

Watch the video to complete the sentences:

1. Every $1 billion of goods the US exports supports more than .......... jobs back home

2. President Obama plans to double exports by the year ..........

3. The US exports ....... times as much to Latin America as it does to China.

4. In ....., American exports to Brazil supported more than .................. American jobs.

5. Since 2004, exports to Chile are up (have increased) ......... percent and now support more than ............. American jobs.

For the answers click on the Read the Transcript icon.

James Bond?

No, the video does not talk about the famous Hollywood spy, but Obama uses the word BOND to talk about the relationship between the US and its "neighbors to the south". A bond is a close relationship, something that brings things together, that unites. It is a strong relationship based on values or ideals that the people involved have in common.

Who do you have a special bond with?

Is there someone you would like to have a bond with?

Open or Open up?

Obama talks about opening up markets in South America for US products. Is it the same thing as "open"?

According to dictionary.com, one of the meanings for open up is to make something more accessible. Most democratic countries have open markets, but the type of access can vary from country to country.

I can open a door but not have access to what's inside it. Maybe I don't have the privileges or the rights to the content.

What would you like to open up professionally or personally - a new relationship, a new job opportunity, a new company?

Solidarity is such a lonely word

2011-03-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

The post below was written by student Angela Oliveira:

The struggle for surviving in this material world has made us all selfish and closed us in to ourselves. It´s time for all of us to sympathize with the Japanese people's pain, to pray for the victims and offer them our solidarity.

Learning from the tragedy:

Are you familiar with these words and expressions?

radioactive leaks
nuclear powerplants
epicenter
rescue teams
cold front
scarcity
chronicle of the earthquake
massive quake
magnitude
seismic information
gas valve
hot springs
tornado
hurricane
volcanic eruption
landslide
tsunami
tidal wave

If you're not familiar with these words, learn this one more than anything else:

SOLIDARITY

How can we show solidarity to people who are suffering on the other side of the planet? What can we do except send postive vibrations for the Japanese to get back on their feet again?

Fearless

2011-03-06T06:16:00.000-08:00

What's the best thing about learning a language?

learning about the culture of its speakers
being able to understand native speakers
knowing how to write in the language
knowing how to read texts written in the language
being able to pronounce all the sounds and speak clearly

The second option is probably one of the most difficult. What's more, not always do students get the chance to meet a native speaker and ask him/her questions. Even in an era of globalization and social media proliferation, the opportunities to really use English for most students are very scarce.

So last Wednesday, when a Canadian friend paid my students a visit during our class, this was the chance.

Dani talked about himself, about his hometown Toronto and his country Canada.

He answered questions about his travels, about Brazil, about learning a language

And best of all, he gave the best advice for ALL language students:

BE FEARLESS

According to him, the secret to success in speaking a language is NOT to be afraid to make mistakes, NOT to worry if the sentences are "grammatically" correct. We have to take risks without fear.

LESS FEAR = FREEDOM TO COMMUNICATE

Do you agree with Dani? What is the secret to language learning success?

The power of speech

2011-03-02T04:15:00.000-08:00

Ready now? Let's go:

Thanks to the award-winning movie The King's Speech, it is the word to use

Speeeeeeeeeeeeeech!

This word can mean many things to many people:

For someone in audience, it is a formal talk that a person gives.
For a guest at a wedding, it is a time to say good things about the lovebirds (newlyweds = husband and wife)
For someone with a sore throat, it is the ability to speak (the power of speech)
For a militant, it is the right to say openly what you think (freedom of speech)
For someone who has had too much to drink, it is what becomes incomprehensible (slurred speech)
For an actor/actress in a play it is the lines he/sh has to speak (a long speech)

So can we always use speech in these sentences?

Several people made .................... at the wedding.
Professor Harrington is going to give a ................... on the Roman army
She gave an interesting ......................... about her trip to China.
His ........................... are so entertaining we don’t even notice the time go by.
He was asked to give the keynote ............................ at the opening of the conference.

No idea? How about using one of these words:

lecture address talk sermon speech

Go here to the Usage Note page and check your answers.

What is the most difficult thing about a speech?

Have you ever had to give a speech or a talk? How did it go?

How do you feel when you have to speak in front of people?

How do you overcome nervousness when you have to speak?

Anybody, somebody, someone, anyone!

2011-02-23T14:51:00.000-08:00

There are so many songs we can think of with the combinations any, some and no. Here are just a few to prove my point:

Help I need somebody, help! Not just anybody, help! (the Beatles)

Nothing compares to you. (Sinead O'Connor)

Nobody does it better. (Carly Simon)

I just need somebody to love. (Justin Bieber)

Somewhere I belong (Linkin Park)

But there is one that I particularly like:

How would you complete these sentences?

I’d never marry anybody who ...

I need something which ...

Nowhere in the world is better than ...

Nobody knows ...

I’d love to meet somebody who ...

I’ve never been to a country where ...

Oscar 2011- The Black Swan- You can't miss it

2011-02-21T18:17:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting review done by a student Angela about one of the films running for Best Picture:

Summing up, the Black Swan is a psychological thriller about a ballet dancer, Nina, who was pure and angelic, perfect to perform the role of the white swam. But the director wanted an actress able to perform both roles : the white swam and the black one. ( The story was based on the Swan Lake the ballet opera from Tchaikovsky???) Then, Nina began an internal and external journey in search of her dark side.
It's provocative because the film structure is similar to James Joyce's style ( The stream of unconsciousness).
In order to understand the story, the spectator has to reorganize the story which is narrated in flashbacks and flashfowards.
It’s a complete fusion between fantasy and reality what makes the film interesting and provocative.
Competition ,the desire of going beyond limits and being perfect are some of the dramatic cells of the narrative.
What else?
Visual hallucinations ,psychotic symptoms , drugs, mutilation, masochism, ...
Well, go watch it !

Agree with the synopsis?

Has anybody seen any of the other films?

Would you like to post a review? Send me a message!

Oscar 2011- Advanced movie vocabulary

2011-02-20T14:29:00.000-08:00

It's the final week before the big night - when we discover the winners, the losers, the surprises and confirmations of the awards related to the magical world of movies.

Sometimes when we have to talk about films and give our opinions about them, the vocabulary is limited to "It's a great movie" and "I thought it was ok" "I loved ... (name of actor/actress).

How about being more specific? Take a look at this text and complete with the words in bold:

Screenplay Credits Location Editing List

Studio Dubbed Director Special effects Played

Soundtrack Stunts Crew Shot/Scene Subtitles

In a movie, the names of the stars, the producers, the person who wrote the (1) …....... and the (2) …....... are given in the opening (3)…..…....., but you have to wait till the end to see the complete (4) …........ of characters and the actors who (5) .......... them-- and the name of every individual member of the film (6) ......... Some films are shot in a (7) .........., others are filmed on (8)........... (9)........... films can be shown with (9) .......... or they may be (10)...........
A really exciting movie depends on good photography, good (11)......... (the way the film is cut with perfect timing so that each (12).............. surprises you), exciting (13) ................(car chases, fights and falls) (14).........(visual techniques that make fantasy seem like reality) and the (15) ........... (music played in the film).

For the answers and more on movie voacbulary click here to see the doc.

Now tell us:

What in your opinion, makes a movie exciting? Can you name any recent examples?

Drink, anyone?

2011-02-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

Drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) are a must in celebrations and social events. Agree or disagree?

This lesson was prepared by fellow teacher Fabrini Rodrigues:

Identify the pictures.

Answers:
Sparkling wine - Red and white wine (people toasting) - Whisky - Cider
Liqueur - Vodka - Cachaça - Rum - Gin
Tequila - Absinthe- Sake - Draft beer
Liquor - Liquor store

Talk about:

1. Do you drink / Do you like drinking?

2. How often do you drink? When?

3. Do you ever… / How often do you… drink to excess?

4. What is your favorite alcoholic drink?

5. When did you start drinking? Can you remember the first time you got drunk?

6. Why do you drink alcoholic drinks?

7. Have you ever said or done something under the influence of alcohol that you later regretted? Do you have any funny stories?

8. How does alcohol change your behavior, personality and face?

9. When did you last drink the items from the vocabulary list?

10. Have you ever had a terrible hangover? What happened?

11. What is the best cure for a hangover?

12. Have you ever forgotten something you did because you were drunk?

13. Why do you drink alcoholic drinks?

14. Is alcohol a drug?

15. Can bars serve alcohol 24 hours a day in your country?

16. In the USA, you cannot drink alcohol on the street. What are the laws regarding drinking in public in your country?

17. What do you think of very drunk people?

18. What should be the legal age to drink alcohol?

19. Are the drinking and driving laws in your country too strict?

20. Have you ever been fined for DUI (Driving under influence)?

For a download of this activity, click here

Valentine's Day 1 - All the single ladies

2011-02-13T15:54:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day could be the perfect day to think of the perfect partner.

This one is for all the single ladies.

What's the ideal of a perfect husband? Check the list below to find out.

To all bachelors: can we use the same list for the perfect wife?

Valentine's Day 2 - Not so sweet Valentine

2011-02-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

What do these words have in common? (Click on each of the expressions)

CLOUDS
BLACK WIND
DARKNESS
ASH
COLD NIGHT

Here's a song to help you understand what I'm talking about. Listen and pay attention to the lyrics that show on the screen.

What do you think the singer did to be alone on a Valentine's Day?
What do you think the "black wind" mentioned in the song refers to?

Valentine's Day (apparently) brings back gloomy (sad) memories for the singer.

Is there a day that brings back sad memories for you?
What about good memories?

What is an anthem?

2011-02-07T17:16:00.000-08:00

An anthem

is a song that symbolizes the values, aspiration, beliefs and victories of a country and the people that make part of it.

Singing the anthem invokes a feeling of being a part of a group, of an identity and invokes sentiments of patriotism and civic responsibility.

So when singer Cristina Aguilera messed up the lines at SuperBowl night, the news was all over the world.

"Aguilera flubs national anthem at SuperBowl"

"Cristina Aguilera's Star-Spangled Fail"

"Cristina Aguilera mangles Star-Spangled Banner"

"Cristina Aguilera re-wrote the Star-Spangled Banner"

"Cristina Aguilera forgets Star-Spangled Banner lyrics"

"Cristina Aguilera's Big Star-Spangled Banner Mishap"

Why is everyone making a big thing out of the incident? She's only human. Everybody makes mistakes.
Who hasn't ever forgotten the lyrics of the national anthem?

Take a look at the news headlines. What are the verbs used?

What do you think can make a person forget his/her national anthem?

The Do's and Don'ts of the language classroom

2011-01-31T17:31:00.000-08:00

Here in Brazil, it's the start of another school year here and excitement is in the air.

Teacher trainers always recommend that teachers establish rules at the start of a school year. They are there to help teacher and student and they reduce the chances of indiscipline. This is what we call classroom management.

But sometimes teachers think that students already know how to behave and students expect teachers to make the classroom rules clear for everyone.

This video from the eternal movie "To Sir with love" helps to show what I'm talking about

Did you look at the glogster at the top of this post?

For teachers: Do you always set the rules at the beginning of each year?

For students: What rules or suggestions would you include in the list above?

New Year stories from Chile

2011-01-22T16:51:00.000-08:00

On December 29th, I talked about the best New Year ever.

Here I am now to share an account of a student who was on a visit to Chile:

Vina del Mar.

On the 31st, for supper we had a completely different main dish, unusual on the traditional Brazilian table: ostrich strudel.

For dessert, or "postre" in Spanish, there were a lot of fruit, pies, puddings, and ice cream.

No French toast, walnuts, chesnuts, hazelnuts, figs, raisins and plums as we have at our New Year's supper in Brazil.

I tried the cherry pie with cherry ice cream.

Superb! Cherries were in season in Chile. Very sweet and soft!

The place was nicely decorated and a young singer performed international songs.

I shouldn't have eaten and drunk so much!

Well, diets always start on January 1st.

Bye!

A.

How was your New year? Did you do anything special or different?

Simple ideas to change the world

2011-01-16T18:09:00.000-08:00

Simple ideas can make majestic changes ....

To start, podcasts are a great way to make a difference in the learning experience. You can listen to them anywhere and at any time. (That's why they're called podcasts - Portable On Delivery + cast = transmission)

This one is from the BBC called 60-second idea to improve the world. On each program, a special guest has one minute to sell an idea that will make things a little better for all of us.

Here are some recent ideas:

A code of conduct for use of mobiles

We should all write love letters

Introduce fast lanes on sidewalks

What do you think? Are these really novel ideas and can they make a huge difference?

What's your idea? Remember you have 60 seconds!

How is the weather changing where you live?

2011-01-11T17:03:00.001-08:00

In which countries/regions would you see pictures like these?

Hurricanes in Brazil. Heat wave in Russia. Floods in Australia. Blizzards in the U.S. Droughts in the Amazon forest. Earthquakes in Scotland.

Are these events normal?

Is the planet striking back or these events just natural?

This what part of a discussion I had with over dinner with two great ELT writers, Carol Lethaby and Paul Seligson. And the thought was, wouldn't it be interesting to hear from local people how the weather has changed in the last years?

So this post is the start of may be a continuing look at the changes in the weather.

Tell us,

Has the weather changed a lot where you live?

How has it affected you and the people around you?

Let us know!

Holiday or Vacation?

2011-01-06T05:18:00.001-08:00

At this time of the year these two words are favorites:

HOLIDAY & VACATION

Are they exact synonyms?

When do we use one and not the other?

What kinds of holiday/vacation are there?

Let's start with the last question first:

Have you ever been on a busman's holiday? It's when you do exactly the same thing you normally do at work. This is my case this year. During my holiday/vacation, what am I doing? What I usually do - teaching?

I'm on a busman's holiday!

Here are some other types. Can you name them all? (The answers are at the end of this post)

What about the other two questions? Are holiday and vacation the same? When do I use one and not the other?

The difference is between American English and British English. (Observe the colours)

Vacation is the same as Holiday.

A holiday or public holiday is the same as a bank holiday.

The holidays is the period of Christmas, Hannukah and the New Year's.

Vacation is when universities are closed for students.

To finish, a few more questions:

What is your idea of a fun-filled holiday/vacation?
Have you ever had a disaster holiday/vacation?
Do you usually plan your holiday/vacation?
What is the best time of the year to take a holiday/vacation?
What in your opinion would be a dream holiday/vacation?
Do you like taking a staycation - a holiday or vacation at home?

Key to images (from left to right):

adventure holiday; camping holiday, family holiday

package holiday; staycation; overseas holiday

The birth of Jesus the Facebook way

2010-12-29T14:37:00.000-08:00

Imagine what the story of Jesus' birth (the Nativity story) would be like with Facebook.

After watching this, I ask myself:

Why do friends always abandon us when we need them the most? (Remember what happened when Joseph confirmed on his "wall" that Mary was with child?)

The best New Year ever?

2010-12-29T03:28:00.000-08:00

2010 is already coming to an end and saying goodbye. Everybody is now saying welcome to 2011.

This word cloud is a compilation of some wishes for the new year in many languages.

The question is if people are really sincere when they say them or it is just a formality.

What do you say to your friends and loved ones on New Year's Eve (December 31st)?

What do the New Year celebrations mean to you?

A Christmas message from the Bean

2010-12-24T04:07:00.000-08:00

This is a fabulous video from the master of silent humor - Mr. Bean. Talk about putting the holy family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph) in a place they belong, with all the comfort and luxury they deserve!

The Nativity "Bean" Scene gets new characters. Can you identify them all?

Would you like to have "bean" there?

Waiting for the End - LP

2010-12-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about the last post (on making and keeping a wish list) and the song Waiting for the End by Linkin Park came to my mind.

The lead singer Chester talks about his own wishes regarding a relationship he had and lost. He recognizes there is no way of having something that he has already lost but apparently can't come to terms with the idea.

Here are two sentences he uses with wish. We can rewrite them in a different way but with the same meaning. The original sentences are in red.

"Wishing I had the strength to stand" = "If only I had the strength to stand"

"I wish it wasn't so" = "I would have liked it not to be so"

There is some useful vocabulary to learn here. While watching the video, find expressions or words that are the same in meaning as:

exchange something for something
kill something
not mentioned or not spoken
that way (in the sentence "I wish it wasn't that way")
what is necessary
get trapped in the middle of a natural disaster

Useful tip: the words in the text that need to be found are in the same structure as these above.

Finally:

What, according to the singer, is the hardest part of ending something?

Do you agree with the singer's opinion?

Answers : trade something for something; dead something, unsaid, so, what it takes, get caught up in the middle of the storm

I wish, I wish for a wish list

2010-12-20T13:22:00.001-08:00

More than any period of the year, Christmas is when people make lists of what they want to win and what they want to give.

But between Christmas and New Year's Day, people start making resolutions for the next year. An alternative to listing resolutions is making a wish list.

On this list, people include things like:

Places to go

World foods to try

Books to read

Movies to watch

What else would you include on your list?

Do you have any special wish(es)?

Is it better to make New Year Resolutions or make a wish list?

Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars - but they can understand each other

2010-12-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

This question is for the men:

You are going to meet with your friends and watch the national championship final. What do you think your wife or girlfriend means when she says this:

"That's okay, honey, you can do whatever you like"

a) I understand you need some time for yourself

b) It's okay if I spend Sunday afternoon by myself

c) How could you be so selfish? Don't you see I need you next to me?

Ever since the beginning of time, men are said to speak a different language to women, that is why they never understand each other. Each group complains about the other, saying that the other side does not try to comprehend and meet halfway.

This "commercial" presents a new device that can help "translate" what women really say and what men are incapable of comprehending.

What do you think?

Do men and women really need a device like this?

If this device really existed, would it really work?

Someday at Christmas

2010-12-13T06:26:00.000-08:00

Can you complete this sentence?

Someday at Christmas ....

This is the name of a song written and recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967. Since then it has been re-recorded by many artists, from Michael Jackson to Justin Bieber.

The song talks about a time in the future, when there is peace, fraternity and harmony around the world. Christmas is the symbol of all these good and positive things.

But most important part of the song is probably in these lines:

Someday our dreams will all come to be

Someday in a world where men are free

Maybe not in time for you and me

But someday at Christmastime

What do you think?

Is this world where men and women are free already here? If not, do you think we will see this world in the immediate future?

Christmas traditions - Secret friend or Secret Santa?

2010-12-05T18:47:00.000-08:00

A very poplular tradition in most countries is the anonymous exchange of gifts usually among friends or classmates or big families. This practice has many names around the world, and these names refer to the person who gives the gift.

Here are some names for this practice from around the world

US, Canada and Great Britain: Secret Santa

Southern Pennsylvania, USA: Pollyanna

Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines - Kris Kringle

In Germany - Christkindl

In Brazil - Amigo Secreto or Amigo Oculto

In Spain - Amigo Invisible

Now tell us:

Do you like (a) giving gifts or (b) receiving gifts?

If your answer is (a), what kind of gift do you like to give?

If your answer is (b), what do you think is the true message of Christmas?

What does it all mean?

2010-11-29T17:22:00.000-08:00

Some important facts about information is processed and disseminated today and how technology plays a vital role in our lives, like it or not.

So, what DOES this all mean to you?

Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T20:02:00.000-08:00

Soon, families in the USA will be celebrating Thanksgiving. What do you know about the date?

Read about it here.

Complete the sentences with Thanksgiving words here.

Finally complete the sentence in the comments box:

I am thankful for ....

American X British English - differences again

2010-11-22T18:57:00.000-08:00

This is part of the interview given by actress Emma Watson, the eternal Hermione from the Harry Potter franchise on the David Letterman show.

She's currently studying at an American university, so she talks about the difficulties she has adapting to the culture and the language.

But don't the two countries speak the same language?

Watch the video.

What did Emma think the differences between the two types of English were about?

Emma gives two examples of words that have different meanings in each country. What are the two words? Click here and here.

During the interview, David Letterman makes this observation: "That says something about American kids:they know you're bleeding, but yet they can't put two and two together".

What do you think the expression means? No idea? Try here.

Language auction

2010-11-14T15:14:00.000-08:00

Test your knowledge of English and win the auction! Click here.

Do you make more mistakes when you write or when you speak? How important is it for you NOT to make mistakes?

Favorite TV programs

2010-11-04T07:52:00.001-07:00

What's your favorite TV program? Write your answer in the COMMENTS box.

What's the name of the program?
What kind of program is it?
What channel is it on?
When is it on?
What time does it start?
What time does it end?
What do you like about it?

Making stories with a cloud

2010-11-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

Click here to see a word cloud.

What are these words about - a song, a poem, or a story? (Use the Google translate tool on the blog or online dictionaires to help you with the words you don't know)

Use as many words as possible and write a one-paragraph story.

Post the story in the COMMENTS box.

Then answer the poll (questionnaire) on the right.

Curious about the words and where they are from? Click here.

Learning Real English with a clown

2010-10-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

I talked about the now world famous Brazilian clown Tiririca in another post. But this video about him being elected is not just funny but also an opportunity to learn some useful vocabulary:

How do you say these expressions in English?

1. concorrer a um cargo público?
2. estar cheio de alguém?
3. acabar com a concorrência?
4. aprontar, tramar algo?
5. hipócritas pomposos, falsos políticos profissionais?

Now complete the sentences below with the English words and expressions:

There is a clown _____________________ in Brazil.

It shows how people __________________ politicians.

He ___________________________. He won!

I’m going to go figure out what they _______________.

People are tired of the _________________________________________.

For the answers, click here.

On a funny note, how many ways does the male presenter pronounce the clown's name?

Hey Jude

2010-10-25T20:29:00.000-07:00

This is an incredible new way to learn the lyrics of a song.

After you watch the video:

What are the three main lines of the song?

A country with a history of strikes

2010-10-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

One prominent feature of the French people is that they seem to love strikes or believe in their effectiveness.

Are the French the number one nationality for striking? Is it the same of different in your country?

Do you believe in the power of strikes?

How many words can you think of to combine with strike?

Toxic Red

2010-10-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

It looks like more and more ecological disasters are occurring at a time when companies say they invest more and more in safety precautions to avoid these kind of disasters.

Could this toxic tsunami have been avoided?

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Is protesting a joke?

2010-10-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

"What does a federal deputy do? Truly, I don't know. But vote for me and I will find out for you,"

That's all Tiririca, or Francisco Oliveira Silva, needed to get 1.3 million votes as a federal deputy for São Paulo in last Sunday's elections.

And apparently, Mr. Tiririca, or Grumpy in English, does not even know how to read or write.

So the question here is, is voting for a clown or charismatic figure a legitimate way to show dissatisfaction about politics?

Can somebody like Tiririca really defend the needs of his voters?

There is an proverb that says "He who laughs last laughs best". (Quem ri por último, ri melhor)In the case of these elections - who will get the last laugh - the clown, the voters or the politicians?

Inspirational Saturday

2010-10-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

These words of advice are always welcome and we should always remember to do them:

Childhood diseases

2010-09-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about the names of common infectious diseases that happen to most of us as kids?

Sometimes, we can get these diseases when we are adults and the results can be worse.

To test your knowledge, click on one of the links here:

(For beginners) Match the disease and its Portuguese equivalent

(For more advanced learners)Match the disease and its definition in English

It's good to know we can use a disease to teach some English.

Look at what happened to me.

Which of these diseases do you think I got on my birthday?

Lady Gaga's VMA

2010-09-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

This year was her year. There were other winners, of course. And there were some great pictures too.

What's your favorite award ceremony? Do you think all the VMA winners deserved to win?

Note: Based on the poll used here, Usher gave the best performance at the VMA with 40% of the votes, followed by Eminem and Rihanna and the trio B.O.B., Hayley Williams and Bruno Mars each with 15% of the votes.

Lessons about bullying in Karate Kid 2010

2010-09-07T05:36:00.000-07:00

Not always do remakes pay justice to the original movie; sometimes, the second movie is even better than the first.

Karate Kid 2010 is one of those special remakes. The basic storyline is the same, with the exception of the setting and the hero’s background. Daniel LaRusso (Ralp Macchio) is a typical teen growing up in America; Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) is a young black American learning to adapt to a totally different culture called China. What impressed me in the movie was the convincing performances of the entire cast - from the villain Cheng (Zhenwei Wang) to the head teacher Mrs. Po (Ji Wang), from Dre’s mom Sherry Parker (Taraji P. Henson) to the dude from Detroit (Wentai Liu).

The most important point in the movie of course is that of bullying and how to face it in real life. Bullying is a topic that had become the subject of many discussions on education and schools and the more we discuss it, the more question remain:

- Who to tell when we are the victims?
- What to do as a teacher or an adult involved?
- Can we put an end to bullying forever?
- If we suffer some kind of physical violence, should we take justice into our own hands?
- Is there going to be a Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) to teach us to defend ourselves?

Smoking is rated "R" in movies

2010-08-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Now it's politically incorrect to smoke in movies. Do you think Hollywood is exaggerating?

Word in focus: RATING = classification, assessment, ranking, evaluation

What do the movie ratings in English mean? See here.

Be a billionaire!

2010-08-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

The new song by Travis Mc Coy featuring Bruno Mars at first seems like yet another sticky song for teens to sing and enjoy. It talks all about what every young person dreams of: fame, money, status, recognition, power. But there is much more to it.

Mc Coy seems to be saying that yes, I want to have it all, but I can help other people fulfil their dreams at the same time. With money I can change the world to make it the way I want.

Lyrics | Travie McCoy Feat, Bruno Mars lyrics - Billionaire lyrics

What do you think? Is the singer being hypocritical when he claims that he wants to do good?

Maybe he read this article.

And finally, test your millionaire/billionaire potential.

Somebody to love

2010-08-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm no Justin Bieber fan, but the guy is like a virus spreading everywhere.

Here is an activity based on one of his songs.

Now here is the challenge: Imagine you are participating in the "Be the somebody to love Justin Bieber" competition.

Write a short paragraph (50 words) saying why you are the right person for the singer. Leave your messages!

Closer to the edge

2010-08-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

Closer to edge on Prezi

Here is the video:

Back to work with all the joy in the world

2010-08-05T22:01:00.001-07:00

It is true: taking a break is sometimes more important than working non-stop. Especially when you go to a place and have a view like this to help you forget about the world.

When was the last time you took a break from work or some days off? What was it like?
PS This is just the start of my travelog to Natal, a wonderful city in the NorthEast of Brazil.

Fillers - imagine speaking without them

2010-07-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

This post ...er ... talks about uh...you know... those expressions that we use all the time and we don't even realize we're using them. In English, we call them fillers and they help us in many ways:

* give flow to our speech (fluency)
* give us time to think of what to say next
* give our language a "natural" flavor
* check that our listener is following

Using them is what tells us if the person is a native speaker or ... uh ... has near native fluency. Even if you are not a native speaker, including them when you speak is more than a good idea; remember we do this in our first language subconsciously, you know what I mean?

But, you know, too much of a good thing is always a problem. Some speakers overdo: they insert a filler like after four or five words. This can make listening to them irritating. Moderation is always the answer, right?

Do you remember how many fillers I used in this post? Are they really necessary?

Do you use a particular filler all the time when you speak in your language? Or do you know someone who does?

Extra:Here is an interview with American rapper Eminem. I know he speaks really fast but see if you can hear the fillers.

Plans for a trip

2010-07-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited about my next trip. I have a one-week break in the last week of July, so I plan to get a lot of rest and enjoy the sun!

Some clues: the weather is sunny and windy, there are lots of great beaches ....

Can you guess where I'm going? Ask questions here to find out!

Brazil - no woman's land

2010-07-11T19:30:00.000-07:00

The latest incident involving the case of national champion Flamengo goalie Bruno Souza has sent shivers down the spine of Brazilian society and reactivates a recurring topic: why are women still deprived of their rights? And why are things made even worse when the woman in question is considered indecent, a hooker, or sex companion?

The only reason why men continue to beat women is because many people - male and female - think it something normal. And it is no surprise to hear people see no wrong in men striking a prostitute.

The missing girl in the case du jour, Eliza Samudio, sought police protection which was denied because of her "profession". Conclusion: it seems as if Eliza had it coming, she deserved it.

Who do you think is to blame?

Should clubs and teams demand that their athletes or "employees" be submitted to constant pyschological treatment?

10 things that young people should (or not) do

2010-06-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

Should not

- have sex with your boyfriend/girlfriend while your parents are sleeping, because the noise can make them wake up, and find you naked and wet together in the same bed.

- do tattos, just to look like a cool guy. When you get older, your skin will be like a passion fruit, and the naked girl in your arm, for example, will be transformed into a mummy.

- listen to loud music everyday. In your sixties you won't hear everything but your mind.

- think that muscles are everything. Doing physical exercices is good but is not all. Study and go earn your living.

- bully your school colleagues. The guy who always get ten in maths and can't speak normally with girls can be your boss in the future.

Should

- study to be someone.

- listen to your parents

- enjoy your youth, but without exageration

- eat vegetables. Believe, there are people who don't like to, even at 18, like me xD

- respect people and their opinions. Yours can be different but nobody made you god.

Spell check

2010-06-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

For all enthusiastic Twitterers and users of other social media, have you checked your spelling lately? Take the test:

Created by Oatmeal

Hypocritical people

2010-06-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

I am hypocritical, and I am sure you are too. Everybody have a hipocritical moment, even when we try to hide this from ourselves.
Every year, we have a new scandal on politics; corruption and lies are very commom in the society. It's very easy to notice people losing time with useless things, while shit happens. That's when the most part of the people say:

"My country is a piece of shit! Society is to blame."
"We don't have any infrastructure for development, and the people don't do anything!"
"Lots of people are in complete misery, and the society is intrigued to discover the end of the soap opera!"
"These people on reality shows are very fake, jealous, I hate everybody!"
"Women should be treated as the men! Oh, military work? This kind of things are for men."
"I don't have prejudice against black people, it's ridiculous. *after some time* oh look at this man on Big Brother Brasil! He's a drag queen, it's ridiculous!"

Come on people!
First: the guilty one of these bad things is the society? Welcome to "the society". YOU are the society.
The people don't do anything the change the situation? By the way, have you called the governators of you city today?
People in reality shows are bad? Ok, I forgot that you act like Jesus in your everyday life...

... and it goes on and on...

One good example of hypocrisy, is a part of football suporters.
"I hate Brazil! I want to go to a place of first world!"
And then...
"World Cup is coming! UHUUL I LOVE BRAZIL!"
And the same person starts buying flags, t-shirts, a big LCD television to watch the games while he's drinking beer with his friends... to shout BRAZIIIIIIIIIIIILL, THE BEST when a brazilian player (that sometimes you have forgot his appearance, because he's playing in a europe team) do something professional with the ball (that he must have practiced in another country).
Ok, the first game goes on, and our country wins. "Of course, it's a very good team!"
After some time, the team loses. "I knew it would happen, because it's a team of shit! They don't know how to play! Useless people! I would do better!" Sit back and enjoy.

MTV Movie Awards 2010 was fair ?

2010-06-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

Two days ago the MTV Movie Awards took place in Los Angeles. The people wins by popular vote on the site. They have to decide about the best actor, actress, film, comedian and drama actors, etc. In my opinion, it's a very good program.
This year New Moon won more awards than the others films. Well, I'm not sure if it was fair, because the other movies and actors deserved to win more than they. It's not a bad movie, but for me the actors are a little forced. The winner should have been Dear John, because the main actors convinced me of the story, it even made me cry.
Robert Pattinson is very beautiful, but I don't think he's the best actor nowadays. From the guys that were running, I think that Taylor Lautner was the best.
Let's talk about the singers. Even with the strange blue hair, I liked Katy Perry's performance, and hated Christina Aguillera's, for me she's trying to copy Lady Gaga's style with a little difference.
Well, generally it was a good program. I liked it. What about you ? Did you like the presentations ? Did you agree with the winners ?

Comments about the "rodízio" restaurants

2010-06-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

A new habit has developed in Brazil, at least in my city, that is the "rodízio" restaurants. You call your friends to eat something there. Pizza and meat are the most chosen and, normally, each person pays her/his bill. However, this experience is getting worse and worse.

When you make a reservation in the restaurant, for your birthday for example, the obvius thought is that you will get there and find your table easily, with all the chairs that you need. WRONG!! Sometimes they don't organize it well and just put 4 chairs for 10 people.

In a pizza restaurant they start offering you salted, and then the sweet ones. Ok, it seems good BUT it's not. After this, they don't give you anything. And if you just had this problem, consider yourself a luck person, because sometimes they stop offering out of the blue. On the other hand, if you are enjoying the flavours, just wait for the french fries and steak pizza, the new shitty side order of these places.

Moreover, just to finish this nightmare, the waiters ask you for the 10% service charge. Come on!! 10% for what? Your bad service? Give me a break!

Well...talking about the same topic, what do you think about the 10%? Have you been in similar situation like that? Leave a comment and tell me.

Technology and Language Learning

2010-06-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stopped to think about how technological resources (can)help students learn?

Click here to participate.

Creation of life - News and opinion

2010-05-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

Recently, the news have shown what they call "The creation of life". Scientists could create a synthetic DNA. Then, they put it in a cell. Ok...so...this is the creation of life? Well...as I know, they just created the DNA. It's a big achievment but, it's not the FIRST STEP TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL LIFE. Maybe it is, but calm down. Ok...It's the same thing if I pick up a battery and put in a robot. Without it, anything will work. However, there are a lot of parts of the machine that we have to take into account. So, scientists, keep doing your excellent work but, please, don't spread it. The media always find a way to transform the facts into a big thing, causing unnecessary discussions in religion, politics, etc.

Kids & The Marshmallow test

2010-05-19T14:43:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWW1vpz1ybo&playnext_from=TL&videos=Rle8MX_yZxk

How about a fresh and delicious marshmallow? It`s almost impossible to refuse one, specially if you are a kid, but what if you could get two?

An experiment run by Dr. David Walsh was based on this tempting offer. Several kids were located in a room, and each one had a plate with ONE marshmallow on it. They could either eat that marshmallow, or wait fifty minutes, and they would get another one. Resuming: eat ONE now, or TWO almost an hour latter.

The results were impressive, only 3 of the 12 kids ate the marshmallow as soon as the supervisor left the room ( well... who wouldn`t...ahahahah) , the other 9 "suffered" for almost 1 hour, poor kids...but at the end, they got the marshmallows.

But it`s not just the marshmallow, Dr. David said that the objective of the experiment was to show how kids act differently form each other, and help parents try to figure out how to help their kids to have more self discipline, and also, the kids saying NO to themselves is a key success fact for their mental evolution.

The new Teen Sensation- WHY !?

2010-05-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

Each day, we can see new artists and singers appearing overnight, others getting more and more popular, but this new kid, Justin Bieber, opens a new cattegory of sudden success , and gives a new meaning for the word "STAR".

People seem to have lost their sense, their control about what is reality when it comes to this kid. Now, not only the "teeny bowpers" are getting crazy about him, but now we can see even grown woman in his shows...That's sad.

He posesses an image, a personality most teenagers find atractive: modern clothes, stylish hair, catchy songs, etc... ; and what is worst, making millions of fans worldwide believe that his way of living is OK, is cool.

These modern days' youth seems to lose all their personality, give up of everything just to follow, or pretend to be someone, just to be accepted by the rest of the society. And don`t come to me saying that his songs are beautiful, that they have deep and emotional lyrics, because they DON`T .

What I think about "Bonde da Stronda"

2010-05-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

It's very easy for me to describe the group of hip hop "Bonde da Stronda". They are kind of ugly boys that want to be famous writing about sex and other stupid things that I'm sure they don't do. They also use international instrumental songs, mix it, and make strange lyrics to join it. The group use to play in teen parties, festivals, and nightclubs, for hundreds of people who believe that pornography, vulgar sex, depreciation of woman, and acting like animals are better than studying and being someone in life. I'll show you part of the lyrics:

"algumas falam demais e na hora só enrolam
esse tipo é popular, xxt coca-cola
mas não importa qual vai ser importa se vai rolar
morena,ruiva,loira,negra o importante é furar"

"Várias idades, cidades, sotaques,
variedades sempre tem e as namoradas dão ataque.
Banheira de hidromassagem com as mina passando nua
e os parceiros só de toalha chamando as mulher na rua."

OH MY GOD, what is this?
And the worse: the fans of the group have between 12 and 16 years old. Which adults will they be in the future? Do they have future? Girls that still play with barbies are being convinced that the important is to have sex with eveybody!

"Quando eu entro na night eu avisto as cocota
Os barro também, até os mauriçoca
É um bando de grupinho disputando atenção
Da lincensa cumpadi, eu sou playsson mermão"

"O manual da stronda serve até para as cocotas
Ouve com atenção e ve que isso não é moda
Modinha Playsson?
só se for pra você
pra mim é um estilo que só tem a cresce"

"No som Stronda Music volume até o final
Pras cocota rebolarem e cairem na real
que a real é a noitada pregando sacanagem
estilo mar putão sem coração só na viajem"

"Pra continuar, eu sou um cafetão
Cafetão de puta rica essa é minha profissão
Antes de sair bote sempre sua prata
Peça bling bling direto na carcaça"

As if it wasn't enough, the girls really like to be known as "bitches". They think that being treated like a animal and acting like it is the best quality ever!

What's the future of these teenagers?

Take care of your children. Give your opinion.

The newest brazilian "sensation": Fiuk

2010-05-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Fiuk is the newest teenage sensation in Brazil - he's considered beautiful and talented. Now he's acting in "Malhação ID", a program for teenagers that always has the same history. In the program he plays a boy that wants to be in the music world but his family is against it. In my opinion he's not a good actor. When he speaks it looks like he's in pain. He even has a band called "Hori", and once I've heard that this word means harmony or something like that in another language.

He reminds me of a homeless guy, because his hair is so awful and his clothes are very colorful and ugly. And Fiuk is a horrible nickname..

Fans, sorry.. But how do you like this guy ? He's forced, not beautiful and his voice is really strange. So I want you to answer my question if you're his fan.

Restart Band - new youth

2010-05-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

It's sad to see where this new youth is heading. I was taking a look at youtube and, unfortunately, I found a video of a Restart's fan giving an interview, and it really shocked me. The girl didn't talk like a normal person, and she was always using emoticons to say, instead of normal speaking.

First thing, I'm not saying that you can't create your own personality, but sometimes it gets ridiculous! And worse, these new bands coming bring new shitty style, which make people like them think that it's normal.

The parents are not setting the expected limits to show that you won't go anywhere, excepting under the bridge, with this pointless way of living. Kids have to receive strong education if it's necessary. Life is not easy, and sometime you'll have to wake up to this. However, it would be good to do it now, because if you don't, no one but the circus will give you a job,

So, my advice is.......CHANGE YOUR WAY OF BEING YOURSELF 'cause life is not a "coraçãozinho"